Growing the Monarch butterfly population

Monarch butterflies, with their colorful stained-glass appearance, routinely bring smiles to Fallbrook residents. However, without the support of their human admirers, these beauties will dwindle in number.

Like bees, butterflies are pollinators whose numbers have been decreasing due to a number of environmental factors. One issue is a major loss of breeding grounds due to urban and agricultural development as well as the use of herbicides on many kinds of plants.

For Monarchs, Milkweed is their preferred host plant; it is where they lay their eggs and it serves as the only food source for the caterpillars that hatch from those eggs. So the declining numbers of Milkweed plants is causing the number of Monarch butterflies to also decrease at wintering sites in California and Mexico in the last few years.

Anyone interested in helping the Monarchs increase in numbers can plant Milkweed, and a varied selection of flowering plants that host butterflies, in their own yards and in community gardens to replace lost habitats for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators.

The narrowleaf Milkweed plant, a California native variety of milkweed also known as Mexican whorled milkweed, has colorful flowers and is the local choice for Monarch butterflies. The Milkweed plant contains a toxic substance called cardiac glycosides which, when eaten by the Monarch caterpillars, causes them and the butterflies they become to be poisonous to most predators.

Butterflies need lots of nectar, so a variety of flowering plants are also necessary near the Milkweed for after the caterpillars transform into butterflies. Picking flowers that will bloom at different times during the summer months will make sure the butterflies have a steady supply of nectar.

A source of water is also needed and, if room, a tree and shrubs will protect the butterflies from the wind. While the Monarch butterflies have already started their journey south, it is not too soon to start planning a butterfly garden to host some of them on their return trip next spring.

Monarch butterfly facts

• The North American variety differs from the South American variety, but both varieties love the Caribbean.

• A Monarch butterfly sheds or molts its skin five times in its metamorphoses stages before the pupa stage.

• The caterpillar stages lasts for between 9 and 14 days.

• The caterpillar is a hearty eater that gains about 2,700 times its original weight and produces a lot of waste. It can consume an entire milkweed leaf in less than 5 minutes.

• Male or female? A black spot on an inside surface of its hind wing distinguishes a male Monarch butterfly from a female. Prime mating season is February and March.

• The Monarch butterfly does not have lungs; breathing takes place through tiny vents in the thorax or abdomen called spiracles, and an organized arrangement of tubes called trachea, distribute the oxygen through the Monarch’s body system

• Wingspan is about 10cm; weight is between 0.25 to 0.75 grams

• A Monarch’s wings flap slower than other butterflies - at about 300 to 720 times a minute.

• A Monarch butterfly (life cycle stage four) lives two to six weeks.

• Senses of smell and vision help Monarch butterflies assess their environment. They use their eyes to locate flowers, their antennas to smell the nectar, and the minute receptors lodged in their feet called “tarsi” come in handy to taste sweet substances. Adult monarchs feed on nectar and water by sipping on it using a sucking tube called proboscis that lies coiled under the head when not in use

• Monarchs can see a broad spectrum of colors, even UV light that humans cannot.

• Monarchs communicate via colors and scents. Chemical discharged from the rear wing glands help the males to attract its mate

• This butterfly can cumulatively lay about a maximum of 250 eggs per day at the rate of one egg at a time. The witnessed highest number of eggs laid by a monarch butterfly in captivity is 1,179. Eggs are laid on the leaves of milkweed plants.

• Monarch butterflies store a poison called Cardiac Glycosides that they ingest by feeding on the leaves of milkweed foliage in their larva stage. These are sometimes harmful to its vertebrate predators (lizards, birds, frogs), but ineffective on invertebrate predators. The toxic effect on vertebrates however, depends on the level of intake.

Starting Milkweed from seed

One way to begin the process of planting Milkweed is to start seeds to create the plant material.

In planting Milkweed seeds, one can put them in prepared areas outdoors after the threat of frost is gone or start them indoors in flats with potting mix. Beginning them in flats in a greenhouse-type environment can be more successful since germination rates are usually better indoors and a better root system can be achieved before planting outside.

If starting seeds indoors, fill flats with potting mix and water thoroughly. Sprinkle seeds on the soil surface 1/4- to 1/2-inch apart and cover with 1/4 inch of potting soil. Gently water the top portion of the flat. Most seeds will germinate in 7 to 10 days. Expect a growing period of four to eight weeks, when plants are between three and six inches in height, before the plants will be ready to be placed outdoors.

It can be helpful to cover each flat with a clear plastic cover or plastic bag to keep moisture in. Once the seeds have germinated, remove the cover. It is best at this point to water the flats from the bottom. Avoid any areas of plant overcrowding by thinning the number slightly, thus encouraging the development of stronger material.

Flats should be set outdoors for a few days before being planted outside.

When planting, seedlings should be planted between 6 and 24 inches apart and should be watered frequently. Mulch should be spread around the seedlings soon after planting and the little plants should be fertilized two to three times during the growing season, unless one opts to use a time-release (granulated) formula.

Note: The white, milky sap produced by many varieties of Milkweed is toxic if ingested. Be careful to wear gloves when working with the plants and young children should be monitored at all times if around the plants. If the sap gets in the human eye, it can be extremely dangerous.

Source: www.learnaboutnature.com